Speech Guidelines for a School Captain Candidate Plus an Example
Being the school captain is among the things that many students strive to attain in school. Whilst some are fortunate to become leaders in their respective schools, others disappear into oblivion with their hopes forever shattered. One of the factors that separates winners from other candidates is the whole concept of speech making and delivery.
And when I’m talking about speech, I’m not talking about words just put together for the sole reason of announcing your candidature. These are very cleverly selected words that will arouse the students’ desire to elect you as their representative. It is true that when you fail to plan, you plan to fail. This maxim is also true in speeches. A speech that does not go through the guidelines explained below will not have the desired outcome.
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Speech Writing Guidelines for a School Captain
1. Let your message be brief and precise
Avoid using many filler words to make the speech long. With a long speech, you will obviously loose the attention of the audience. The speech should be short and content rich. It should be straight to the point. You should hit the nail while it is hot- the nail in this case refers to the first few minutes that the audience is attentive. Hit them with that punch line that will leave you glued to their minds. You should keep your explanations minimal and if you can do it without explanations, the better.
2. Simplicity is genius
As albert Einstein rightly put it, “If you can’t explain it simply, then you don’t understand it well enough.” The beauty of using simple language is that you reach a wide scope of students. Using complex and complicated jargon will isolate the audience and the message will not reach its intended destination.
Furthermore, you do not want your fellow students to think you are above them. If they cannot understand you, how will they trust you to deliver their grievances to the authorities above? While a technical jargon showcases your mastery of the language and may open for you unlimited opportunities in the future, at this point in time it would be advisable to speak in a language that befits a school setting. Do not forget that you will also be communicating to pupils of the lower grade. Do not overlook their votes, they are equally as important as other votes.
3. Content should be organized in point form.
The speech should be broken down into parts to make it more orderly and precise. The organization of the speech will be explained better in the outline section later in the article. Ensure that each paragraph has its own point. Each paragraph must begin with a topic sentence, followed by few supporting lines and these supporting sentences must be related to the topic sentence. The paragraphs should however be brief. Try not to go very deep into the topic at hand.
4. Exhibit qualities of a leader.
Whether you are delivering it before a congregation or just putting it on paper, there must be some level of authority that the people listening or reading can feel. Nobody wants to be represented by a coward. Naturally, people are conditioned to follow a courageous leader, who has authority and leads by example. Apart from that, kindly be as honest as possible in your speech. Do not promise things you cannot deliver. Mistrust is one deep pit you cannot salvage yourself from.
5. Use the first person.
This is quite obvious always use the first voice when referring to yourself and in second person when referring to the students or audience. It creates a form of bond between you and the students when you refer to them directly. Also, always use active voice, as it is more authoritative and direct. Passive voice is least effective when you call people into action. For instance, when you say, “We will beat them,” sounds more authoritative than saying, “They will be beaten by us.”
Outline
Planning is an integral part of a speech. An outline gives you the format or rather, a rough draft of what your speech should look like. Here is the basic format of a speech:
Introduction
Remember first impressions always last. The contents of your introduction and how you present it will either make you or break you. This is an important part of your speech, as this is the part which will either win the audience’s attention or lose it. The length of the introduction should be no more than 10% of the whole speech. So, if your speech is to last 5 minutes, then your introduction should take like 40 to 45 seconds. Here, you should provide your greetings, introduce yourself and state your purpose.
Body
The body is the bulk of the speech, making 80% of it. What you intend to do when elected the school captain should falls within this segment. Each point should be kept in separate paragraphs and should be accompanied by few sentences shading more light on each one of them. You should however be brief and avoid going into too much details. This will bore the audience and will make the speech too long. The body should follow this format:
1st Paragraph
- Topic sentence 1
- 3-4 sentences supporting topic 1
2nd Paragraph
- Topic sentence 2
- 3-4 sentences supporting topic 2
3rd Paragraph
- Topic sentence 3
- 3-4 sentences supporting topic 3
Conclusion
This part should only be 10% of the speech. Your conclusive remarks are just as important as any other part of the speech. It would be absurd to give a mind blowing presentation and then have a lackluster ending. One of the best way of wrapping things up is by use of a famous quote with a few additional remarks or you may give thanks to all the people who have supported you to where you are. You may also opt to quickly summarize all your points, whichever way you choose it, when done correctly they are both equally effective.
Essay Sample for a School Captain
Dear students, teachers and the *insert school* community at large, good afternoon. It is yet again that time of the year that we have to exercise our individual rights to select the rightful leaders to represent us. I come at your presence, not as a leader but rather as a servant who will put your interests first before mine.
I have spent all my learning years in this school and I’m very aware of all the challenges that students go through. Each year, I have witnessed recurring issues that threaten the pillars of our institution, which are peace, love and unity. I’m here to put an end to that. Your humble servant speaking is *insert your Names*, sixth grade and I’m running for this year’s School Captain.
I have a confession to make. The idea of vying for the School Captain position was first initiated to me in the fourth grade by *insert teacher’s name*, who saw the leadership qualities in me. Mr./Mrs. *teacher*’s sentiments are also shared by other teachers and students, who have privately confided in me about my natural ability to inspire and mobilize people.
I would like to publicly thank them, because they are the spark that ignited this fire in me. My decision to vie for this position is a way of me giving back to this wonderful school. All the years I have spent in this here have been nothing, but good and memorable. Everyone in this school, including teachers and my fellow students have been wonderful and if I was to go back in time, I would still do it again here.
Coming from a very religious background, my parents taught me the importance of humility. That is the reason why I’m naturally humble, friendly and approachable. I believe all people are born equal and I give each person the respect he/she deserves. As most of you are aware, I have worked hand in hand with the outgoing School Captain to ensure that this institution is always running smoothly.
I would like to personally call upon you to come in large numbers during the voting period and continue what I already started with my predecessor. It does not matter who wins. The most important thing is that the process has to be free and fair. Let the voice of the people be heard, because injustice here is a threat to justice everywhere.
Lastly, I would like thank my parents, friends, teachers, students and everyone, who took part in molding me to become the person I am. If it were not for you, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I would also like to thank everyone who showed up to this function today. You sacrificed your precious time to come and lend us your ears. A great day is indeed seen in the morning. All the people that participated in this democratic practice are surely destined for greatness. They are the people who will bring good change to this wonderful nation in the future. Vote wisely, vote with your hearts. May God bless you. Thank you.
